Carrier for tubs or pots

ABSTRACT

A carrier for use with two or more containers having generally square tops with outwardly projecting lips. The carrier blank comprises a central panel and two opposing side panels downwardly foldable along fold lines interrupted by cuts which receive the lips of the containers, erection cuts being provided at the ends of the cuts coinciding with the corners of the tops of the containers to allow the side panels to be folded down without tearing the carrier.

United States Patent [151 3 638 990 9 9 Huault Feb. 1, 1972 [54] CARRIER FOR TUBS OR POTS [56] References Cited [72] Inventor: Jean Hllflllll, Paris, France UNITED STATES PATENTS 1 Assigneer Lever Brothers p y, New York, 3,094,210 6/1963 Van Den Berg ..206/65 NY. 3,409,124 11/1968 Jorgensen ..206/65 [22] filed: 1970 Primary Examiner-Evon C. Blunk [2|] Appl. No.: 13,016 Assistant Examiner-Johnny 0 Cherry AttorneyLouis F. Kline, .lr., Melvin H. Kurtz and Edgar E. Ruff Foreign Application Priority Data TR Feb. 2, 1969 France ..6904400 [57] ABS ACT A carrier for use with two or more containers having generally 521 US. Cl. ..294/a7.2 206/65 R square mp5 with utwardly Pmiecting The carrier blank [51] Int Cl B65d7l/00 comprises a central panel and two opposing side panels .2 downwardly foldable along fold lines interrupted y cuts [58] Flow of Search 229/ 585/22; which receive the lips of the containers, erection cuts being provided at the ends of the cuts coinciding with the corners of the tops of the containers to allow the side panels to be folded down without tearing the carrier.

7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEB FEB 1 1972 3 '53 9 sum 2 0F 2 CARRIER FOR TUBS OR POTS This invention relates to a carrier for containers such as tubs 'or pots, formed from a flat blank of cardboard, paperboard or like material and adapted to retain two or more containers, and particularly for containers having tops of a generally rectangular shape.

It is often desirable to combine two or more containers together in a single pack. This can be achieved by wrapping the containers in a jacket or sleeve adapted to locate the containers in position therein.

Carriers have been proposed which are folded from a flat blank along two pairs of longitudinal fold lines interrupted by slits and which can be readily pressed onto circular containers having outwardly projecting top rims or beads so that the beads project through the slits. Such carriers as heretofore proposed have not been suitable for use with containers having rectangular tops since the carriers could not be readily assembled onto the containers.

An object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a carrier which is suitable for combining containers, such as tubs or pots as used for packaging edible products such as yoghurt, having generally rectangular tops and a relatively wide outwardly projecting lip.

' According to the present invention there is provided a carrier for a plurality of containers having generally rectangular tops; comprising a flat central panel, two side panels each folded along a single fold line from opposite edges of the central panel, each fold line being interrupted by a cut adapted to receive the tops of the containers, the ends of each of the cuts terminating adjacent the fold lines in erection cuts extending into the side panels to allow the side panels to be pressed over the tops of the containers.

To erect the carrier with containers the central panel of the flat carrier is aligned with the tops of the containers and the side panels folded down along the fold lines. The erection cuts and the cuts aligned with the fold lines together define flap portions in the side panels which, as the side panels are folded downwards, spring outwards out of the planes of the side panels until the flap portions have passed over the periphery of the tops of the containers the flap portions then returning to the planes of the side panels so that the edges of the side panels formed by the cuts aligned with the fold lines engage the underside ofthe lips at the tops of the containers.

Preferably each of the cuts comprise two first cuts aligned with the fold line, an intermediate cut parallel with the fold line and spaced outwardly therefrom towards the edge of the carrier, and two connecting cuts joining the first cuts with the intermediate cut. In the erected condition the intermediate cut and the connecting cuts result in separate flap portions being formed adjacent each erection cut so that each container is located at four positions to provide a more positive grip.

The corners of generally rectangular container tops are commonly radiused to avoid sharp corners in which case the erection cuts extending into the side panels can be curved to correspond with the configuration of the corners of the tops of the containers.

One corner of the tops of the containers may be formed with a smaller radius to give a fairly sharp angle to the corner which coincides with a strip for tearing offa metal foil sealing the top of the container. In this event, one of the erection cuts can comprise a straight portion extending at right angles from the fold line and terminating in a curved portion in the side panel.

Acombined pack of a carrier together with two or more containers occupies a minimum of space and a carrier of minimum length is required when the tops of the containers are touching along adjacent edges and the carrier does not extend in the longitudinal direction beyond the outermost edges of the containers at the ends of the pack Where the containers each have a sharp-angled corner these corners are positioned other than at the ends of the carrier, that is to say the two outermost containers are turned through 180 with respect to one another. To provide a carrier of minimum overall length fold lines at opposite edges of the central panel extending between'two erection cuts can be staggered in the direction of the fold line with respect to one another.

To minimize any tendency of the carriers to tear along the fold lines the erection cuts can extend a short distance into the central panel.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying'diagrammatic drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view ofa flat bank ofcardboard material before erection to form a carrier.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the blank of FIG. 1 erected as a carrier and combined with tubs to form a pack.

FIG. 3'is a view of the underside ofthe pack in FIG. 2 and FIG. 4'is a cross-sectional elevation along the line lVlV in FIG. 3.

As shown in FIG. 1 the blank, indicated generally by the numeral 1, is adapted to contain two tubs each having a sharpangled corner coinciding with a tear strip.

The blank comprises a central panel 12 and two side panels 11 which are folded from opposite edges of the central panel 12 along fold lines 7 and 8. The fold lines are interrupted by cuts 2 and 3 aligned with the fold lines, intermediate cuts 2:: and 3a which extend parallel with the cuts 2 and 3 but are spaced outwardly therefrom towards the edges of the blank, and connecting cuts 4 which join the first cuts 2 and 3 to the intermediate cuts 2a and 3a. Erection cuts 9 and 10 are provided at the ends of the cuts 2 and 3 adjacent the fold lines 7 and 8, theerection cuts extending into the side panels 11. The erection cuts are curved to correspond with the radii at the corners of the tops of the tubs, the erection cuts 10 which coincide with the sharp-angled corners having a straight portion extending at right angles from the fold lines 7 into the sidewalls 1'1, the ends of the cuts 10 terminating in curved portions which correspond with the configuration of the sharp angled corner of the top of the tub. The erection cuts 9 and 10 extend a'short distance beyond the fold lines 7 and 8 into the central panel 12.

As shown more clearly in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 the blank is arranged to combine two tubs 13 and 14 which are turned through with respect to one another so that the sharp-angled corners 6 of the tubs are each disposed other than at the ends of the pack with the sharp angled corners adjacent opposite edges of the central panel. The fold lines 7 at opposite edges ofthe central panel which extend between two erection cuts are staggered with respect to one another in the direction of the fold lines so that the tops of the tubs closely approach one another along adjacent edges. The lengths of the cuts 2 and 3 are equal, the lengths of the intermediate cuts 2a and 3a being adapted to accommodate the staggering of the fold lines 7 As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 the tubs 13 and 14 have generally square tops which extend outwardly of the tubs to form a flat lip 12b, the tops of the tubs being closed by a metal foil 12a. Three corners of the tops are radiused as at 5, the fourth corner 6 being sharper angled where a tearoff strip is provided. The limit of the tearoff strip is indicated by the dotted line 15 in FIG. 2.

To erect the blank into a carrier forming a pack with the tubs as shown the central panel of the blank is aligned with the tops of the tubs and the side panels 11 pressed downwards so that the flap portions of the side panels defined by the erection cuts 9 and,l0, the cuts 2 or 3 and the connecting cuts 4, snap past periphery of the tops of the tubs so that the lips of the tubs are received in the cuts. The erection cuts 9 and 10 allow the flap portions of the side panels to be distorted out of the plane of the side panel 11 without tearing as the side panels are pressed downwards. When the flap portions have been pressed beyond the periphery of the lips of the tubs the flap portions again lie in the planes of the sidewalls, the edges of the side panels formed by the cuts 2 and 3 engaging the undersides of the lips 12b of the tubs to grip the tubs in cooperation with the central panel 12 of the carrier. Because the intermediate cuts are spaced from the fold lines the tubs are each located and gripped at four positions beneath their lips.

Whilst the embodiment as described is for two containers a carrier according to the present invention may be constructed to combine more than two containers.

What is claimed is:

l. A carrier for a plurality of container having generally rectangular tops. comprising a flat central panel, two opposing downwardly foldable side panels and a single fold line joining each of the side panels to the central panel, cuts interrupting each of the fold lines to receive the tops of the containers, edges formed by said cuts which grip the tops of the containers, and erection cuts extending from the fold lines generally transverse to and joining with the aforesaid cuts, the erection cuts extending into the side panels to terminate spatially disposed from any other cuts.

2. A carrier according to claim 1 in which each of said cuts which interrupt the fold lines comprises two first cuts aligned with the fold line. an intermediate cut parallel with the fold line and spaced outwardly therefrom, and two connecting cuts joining the first cuts with the intermediate cut.

3. A carrier according to claim 1 in which the erection cuts are curved to correspond with the configuration of the corners ofthe tops ofthe containers.

4. A carrier according to claim 3 in which one of the erection cuts comprises a straight portion extending at right angles from the fold line and terminates in a curved portion in the side panel.

5. A carrier according to claim 4 in which portions of the fold lines at opposite edges of the central panel extending between two erection cuts are staggered with respect to one another in the direction of the fold line.

6. A carrier according to claim 1 in which the erection cuts extend a short distance into the central panel.

7. A package comprising a plurality of containers arranged in a row and having generally rectangular tops and outwardly projecting lips and a carrier, of foldable sheet material. the carrier comprising two spaced fold lines to define a flat central panel adapted to overlay the tops of the containers, said fold lines being spaced apart a distance less than the corresponding dimension of the tops of the containers, two opposing downwardly foldable side panels joined respectively to the central panel along said fold lines, cuts interrupting each of the fold lines to receive the lips of the containers, edges formed by said cuts forming upper edges of the side panels which engage below and grip the undersides of the lips. and erection cuts connecting with the aforesaid cuts extending from the fold lines outwardly into the side panels and having terminal ends therein, the erection cuts connecting with the aforesaid cuts extending from the fold lines outwardly into the side panels and having terminal ends therein, the erection cuts substantially corresponding to the configuration of the corners of the tops of the containers and respective terminal ends in opposing side panels being spaced apart a distance at least equal to said corresponding dimension of the tops of the containers. 

1. A carrier for a plurality of container having generally rectangular tops, comprising a flat central panel, two opposing downwardly foldable side panels and a single fold line joining each of the side panels to the central panel, cuts interrupting each of the fold lines to receive the tops of the containers, edges formed by said cuts which grip the tops of the containers, and erection cuts extending from the fold lines generally transverse to and joining with the aforesaid cuts, the erection cuts extending into the side panels to terminate spatially disposed from any other cuts.
 2. A carrier according to claim 1 in which each of said cuts which interrupt the fold lines comprises two first cuts aligned with the fold line, an intermediate cut parallel with the fold line and spaced outwardly therefrom, and two connecting cuts joining the first cuts with the intermediate cut.
 3. A carrier according to claim 1 in which the erection cuts are curved to correspond with the configuration of the corners of the tops of the containers.
 4. A carrier according to claim 3 in which one of the erection cuts comprises a straight portion extending at right angles from the fold line and terminates in a curved portion in the side panel.
 5. A carrier according to claim 4 in which portions of the fold lines at opposite edges of the central panel extending between two erection cuts are staggered with respect to one another in the direction of the fold line.
 6. A carrier according to claim 1 in which the erection cuts extend a short distance into the central panel.
 7. A package comprising a plurality of containers arranged in a row and having generally rectangular tops and outwardly projecting lips and a carrier, of foldable sheet material, the carrier comprising two spaced fold lines to define a flat central panel adapted to overlay the tops of the containers, said fold lines being spaced apart a distance less than the corresponding dimension of the tops of the containers, two opposing downwardly foldable side panels joined respectively to the central panel along said fold lines, cuts interrupting each of the fold lines to receive the lips of the containers, edges formed by said cuts forming upper edges of the side panels which engage below and grip the undersides of tHe lips, and erection cuts connecting with the aforesaid cuts extending from the fold lines outwardly into the side panels and having terminal ends therein, the erection cuts connecting with the aforesaid cuts extending from the fold lines outwardly into the side panels and having terminal ends therein, the erection cuts substantially corresponding to the configuration of the corners of the tops of the containers and respective terminal ends in opposing side panels being spaced apart a distance at least equal to said corresponding dimension of the tops of the containers. 